Heartland Dental Care Office Featured in Dental Economics Magazine

It is an interesting read and a beautiful office.

"It's a tremendous thrill and honor to be featured in the cover story of Dental Economics," said Marvin Berlin, DDS, of McKinneyDentist.com.  "All of us at McKinneyDentist.com are extremely proud of what our practice has been able to accomplish, and this article was an excellent opportunity to explain how truly committed we are to best serving our patients."

In "The Dental Practice of the Future" article, Dr. Berlin, Dr. Jeffrey Lynch, Dr. Matthew Markham and Dr. Britt Bostick offer a glimpse into the history of McKinneyDentist.com and what steps these doctors have taken on their path of success, such as joining Heartland Dental Care, building their new office and practicing the "Say YES" standard of care each and every day.

"Joining Heartland has definitely allowed us to not only grow on a mass scale, but focus on dentistry once again.  With their support accommodating many of the non-dental headaches, myself and the other doctors can concentrate on our patients' needs," said Dr. Lynch.  "In addition, their support has helped us build our wonderful new building; we would like to extend a big thanks to Heartland for helping us continually advance our goals, as well as a big thanks to Dental Economics for providing us a means to share our story with the dental community."

Since affiliating in 2008, the supportive relationship between Heartland and McKinneyDentist.com has produced excellent results for both.

"Working along side the doctors of McKinneyDentist.com has been a great pleasure," said Patrick C. Bauer, President and Chief Operations Officer of Heartland Dental Care Inc.  "They truly share Heartland's vision of emphasizing patient care; the future definitely holds great things for this affiliation."

I know there has been quite the discussion of Heartland Dental on some of my other posts. Also, there is more here.

I have had little interaction with this corporate dentistry operation lately, but do know that private practice dentistry is changing and dentists are forming more and more groups.

What does everyone think of this model? Is this the future of dentistry?

Heartland Dental Reaching Out to Allcare Dental Patients

Heartland Dental, a Midwestern corporate dental company is reaching out to patient's of the failed Allcare Dental.

Heartland Dental Care, Inc’s. locations are reaching out to help patients affected by the nationwide closing of Allcare Dental.  Effective immediately, patients affected by the Allcare Dental closings can take advantage of free exam and x-rays at their local Heartland Dental Care locations.

Free exams and x-rays will be offered to Allcare Dental patients, regardless of their situation for the next 60 days, at participating locations. If you are in pain and in need of help, Heartland Dental Care offices will evaluate and take care of your needs same-day to relieve your pain. 

“Our community centric dentists and their teams truly empathize with how these patients must feel,” said Patrick C. Bauer, Chief Operations Officer at Heartland Dental Care. “Our dental offices contacted us first thing Monday morning when the news broke about Allcare Dental to ask what they could do to help the patients in their communities. At that point we decided we needed to open our doors immediately to accommodate these patients’ dental needs.”

Heartland Dental Care offices are committed to lifetime dental care and believe good oral health is integral to overall health.  Heartland Dental Care hopes their donation of free exams and x-rays to Allcare Dental patients will help patients in their dental communities achieve their dental health goals.

Multiple Heartland Dental locations will be offering Allcare Dental patients free exams and x-rays for the next 60 days.  Some restrictions may apply; for a list of participating locations and restrictions, patients can visit www.LostYourDentist.com. Heartland Dental Care and their locations are not affiliated in any way with Allcare Dental practices nor the Allcare Dental Management Corporation.

Not really a great deal, the free x-rays and exam. But, I suppose it is better than nothing.

There will be a sales pitch on what treatment needs exist and if the patient can withstand that, then there is some value in the offer.

Again, Heartland Dental, unless they purchase Allcare Dental (which they could) will not be able to refund any money that has previously been paid or complete any in-treatment services.

Heartland Dental Care - A Dissent Part Two

There seems to be information coming forward about Dr. Rick Workman and Heartland Dental Care. There are dentists who do not think their method of practice is the best. I welcome comments from Heartland or other dentists pro and con.

From the internet:

On December 29, 2004 at 11:42:47 PM 'fldmd' posted....

Here are some answers to your questions. Yes sir, my office collected 1.57 million Dollars not Pesos. I work 4 days per week 9am to 5pm. But that is nothing dollarwise compared to heartland's Dr Shanteau, by the way he was a super nice guy. He does $200,000 plus per MONTH mostly on IN medicaid in the middle of nowhere and had great team of assistants who could fill the fillings and help him do a lot of dentistry. How do I do it? I spend a lot of money on my: 1)CE and now I am a practicing MAGD, 2) technology (lasers, 2 cerecs, LVI, implants etc etc), 3) and a beautiful 10 chair (7 equipped) practice. I am in a growing area and see on average 80 plus new patients a month. Unfortunately, my state does not see the wisdom of allowing my assistants to place any of my fillings as Indiana does so I do them. I do not have to do any external marketing only internal marketing and do not participate in PPO's or HMO's or state programs. I went to several successful private practices around the country and spent many hours of time talking with those dentists and staff to find out what they did. Now, I am doing it. Anybody can. In response to the comment on my alphbet fillings from Joe. The alphabet fillings were on senior citizens with limited income. You all have them in your practice, older people who just want functioning restorations. Yes, I informed them of the options of onlays and crowns, but they did not have the finances to choose those treatments. That was considered just an excuse by their senior lackey "bulldog." How are you Bulldog? I still do three or four surface composite restorations on people who cannot afford other dental treatment options that cost more. Do you turn them away? Joe, I hope not for their sake. The month I was in trouble for not diagnosing 70% periodontal disease on my patients was the month the medicaid program kicked. They have specific benchmarks for all dental procedures and I was not in the "Thriveing office" category that month and the vast majority of my new patients were kids. And as you fellow dentists know, juvenile periodontitis is not a prevalent condition found in children. You may find higher incidence of gingivitis in that population group, but you cannot pull out the periodontal diagnosis if it is not there and all the associated treatment plan items they want you to sell like Rotadents and 500% marked up mouthwashes that were not any better than listerine. By the way, when I was there they also gave credit for anything the assistant did to the company and did not pay the doctor their 25% of x- rays, whitening kits etc. etc. I got reamed by Rick Workman for saying that they were operating under our licenses and therefore we desevered to be paid the 25% of the those procedures because if we were not there none of those procedures could be done. You do not ask questions in front of other dentists at their giant pep rallys. You are to follow the rules. Ask questions and you are a TROUBLEMAKER. Other doctors were glad I asked the question they just would not vocalize the question. They did not like the answer either by the way. And while I was there, I was one of their top 15 producing dentists according to their own statistics that came out every month and their "check it out" fax that comes to your office every day to tell you how the best offices did the day before in collections and production and performance by individual doctors. I think they put out that propaganda every day to spur on the younger dentists to try to beat each other and create competition. Did I forget to tell you all about the former dental assistants who come to your office and critique your diagnosis. Some of the younger dentists may be intimidated and stand there and listen about how they should have treatment planned this or that all the while chafing about a dental assistant telling them how to do dentistry and treatment plan more expensive treatment options. But,I did NOT care for it probably because I was older and had practiced for a while and alas again I was branded a TROUBLEMAKER even warranting another call from the big kahuna himself. I had this self-confessed "ex"-hippie with long stragly hair come to my office to evaluate it and "fix it". After a couple days of not improving the collections like she should have been doing, she decided to critique one of my treatment plans. I told her I did not remember her being in my dental school class and until she graduated dental school, passed two national board exams, and passed a state dental license exam she could limit her comments to the business side of the practice. That did not make her happy so she complained all the way up the corporate ladder and that is when I decided to leave that place. I should have done it a year earlier. But better late than never they say. In response to that guy's comment that I have a beef with Heartland. Yes, you could say I have about 26,000 reasons to have a beef with Heartland. Other dentists from my dental school told me that they were not paid on money collected after they left. So, it was not a complete surprise. My lawyer said they had been sued before and would drag a lawsuit out over a long time and I would have to come back to the area for court dates and since I was moving anyways I listened to his counsel. Live and learn. Sa la Vie. Yes, I posted my comments several times because other doctors considering working for them should know they are not always what they seem. And the only positive comments are coming from currently employed dentists who have not been there very long and really buy into that "You can't make it on own" garbage they exspouse at every CE event or "giant brownnose the big kahuna pep rally day" a.k.a corporate meeting or dentists who NEVER worked there and are HYPNOTIZED by the big kahuna or various heartland low level employees trying out brownnose each other in hopes that one of the senior lackeys or maybe even the big man himself will read their post and then they will get a star on their forehead and move up another level.... There are always diferent views and this one desrves to be heard and if a young doctor decides to go to work for them after reading this post at least he or she knows a little more than I did when I decided to work there Yes, It is true they will fire dentists for not producing a lot of dentistry. Just ask Chad. Chad Thompson, "senior lackey" ( glad you read my post Chad) and Heartland Human Resource Manager. Chad, do you remember firing that late term pregnant dentist down south back in 2000 who sued you and got her job back. Why she wanted that job was beyond me unless it was.... the health insurance maybe that was it. Did you have to hire back her mid term pregnant hygienist you let go as well?.. All in the name of shaping up that office. Or did you settle?... That office was only doing about half what the other ones were doing which is pretty good. You see, other people don't get to hear this side of heartland. and chad, I earned my MBA while at IU, so none of "your" systems were valuable to me. They are common business sales and marketing systems designed for service business, but each dental group goes to the same group meetings and has the same consultants make them a "special" system. I have worked for three different groups and the "systems" are all similar but the difference is the leadership of the organizations. The only thing positive out of my heartland experience was seeing Walter Hailey again. I knew of Walter Hailey from Harbourside dental group back east before I went to Heartland. He was a great guy and had good courses. I am sure Steve is still doing a fine job. Any more questions??

Heartland Dental Care - A Dissent

From the Internet:

They are not what they seem.
With all of this warm fuzzy propaganda about placed on this site about Heartland mostly by Heartland non dentist employees or dentists who have never worked for them, I think it is time for a different point of view to be heard.
You all should know that Heartland Dental is not a wonderful place to work or to try to emulate.
They will gladly fire doctors for not producing the desired amount of dentistry or doing everything their way. Just ask the dentists they let go. There are plenty of them out there. That is why they recruit heavily from dental schools. The younger dentists need jobs and have a lot of debt. They work for 2 to 3 years with them, then wise up and leave. Additionally, they send former assistants to the offices and if they catch you doing a MODB restoration. God help you. They are on the phone to report you, because that is NOT the Heartland Way. Then you would get a call from one of the lackeys saying "We do not do "Alphabet fillings at Heartland," so Dr. don't do that again."
And it does not matter if your clinical training and education tells you that was the best restoration for that situation. You do it their way all the time, no exceptions or you hit the highway. If you continue to practice dentistry your dental school trained way, then you recieve more phone calls from progressively more important lackeys without dental school educations who tell you to shape up or ship out!
Its true. If you do not believe it, find dentists who use to work there AND are now out on their own. Ask around.
I worked for three dental groups in different areas of the country before finding where I wanted to live and some groups treat you very well, while others will call you out on the carpet if you do not diagnose 70% of your patients with periodontal disease. What if most of your patients were kids or young adults that month? It does NOT matter! That is Not the Heartland Way.
Also, when I left Heartland I found out that they did not pay me my percentage of collections as they were supposed to do. But, I had already heard that from other doctors who left before me so there was no surprise.
Before you go to work with them make sure you have looked at starting or buying your own practice or becoming a partner. They are much better options. I truly wish I had started my own practice earlier. I work less and make five times as much money. My private practice collected 1.5 million last year. Second year in private practice. Heartland likes to tell you that independent dental practices are not a good option for you. They tell you that you should do the dentistry their way and leave the managing and the majority of the profits to them. That is nonsense! Managing your own practice is not neurosurgery. It just takes common sense and treating people by the Golden Rule. Be right rather than focusing on being rich and the money Will come to you, and you will fill better about the way you earned it.
At the very least if you have to work for Heartland because there seems to be no other options coming out of dental school, just use Heartland as a stepping stone and have a lawyer review your contract and do not agree to 25 mile noncompete clauses.
Workman once asked me if I would rather be rich or right. He said he would rather be rich. I told him I would rather be both. He did not like my answer. It does not matter now, because now I am both. And you can and will be if you choose to be both too. Your future is very bright and you DO NOT need Heartland to have it!
Don't buy all that propaganda.
Caveat Emptor

Sooooo... what say you dentists? Did Heartland and Rick Workman treat you right or wrong?